The 2016 Youth Games Opening Ceremony has been brought forward to February 12 from its original date of February 26 and will launch the 10-day competition for 15 to 18-year-old winter sport athletes.

"We are looking forward to creating Olympic experiences for a whole new generation," said Lillehammer 2016 acting chief executive Tomas Holmestad.

"Nothing pleases us more than the symbolism that comes with the fact of having Lillehammer 2016's Opening Ceremony on 12 February, exactly 22 years after the last Olympic Opening Ceremony in Lillehammer."

Lillehammer was awarded the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games in December 2011 as the only city bidding for the event.

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